Activity: Who Dirtied the Water?

http://www.msichicago.org/fileadmin/Education/learninglabs/lab_downloads/TTW_dirtied_the_water_act.pdf

WHO DIRTIED THE WATER DATA TABLEWHO IS ADDING WHAT IS ADDED

BeaverRiver

RunoffWetlandsShellfish

 

The Story:

Once upon a time there was a beautiful piece of land. It was almost an island, connected to the mainland by a narrow land bridge, and surrounded on three sides by a lake. The lake was filled with clear water and was dotted with a few small green islands. (Point to the jar). Fish and other aquatic life thrived in the water. The land was covered with trees and the land and the lake teemed with wildlife.

Chorus:

Would you want to swim in this lake?Would you eat fish caught in this water?

Would you like to go boating in this lake?

Animal life flourished along a nearby river and the BEAVER were plentiful. A RIVER ran along one side of the land, carrying sediment with it as it flowed into the lake. WETLANDS grew along the edges of the lake. Grasses from the wetlands sometimes washed into the lake and became food for the fish. In the shallow water, clams and other SHELLFISH thrived. A small group of people lived on this land, which they called Hoodland. The people were called the HOODITES. The Hoodite people fished for food and shellfish in the lake. They dumped some of their garbage near the lake. We still find the piles of the shells they left.

Chorus: Would you want to swim in this lake?

Would you eat fish caught in this water?Would you like to go boating in this lake?

After many years SETTLERS from Europe came to live in the area. The settlers built a town much larger than the Hoodite villages. Some of the townÍs garbage was dumped into the lake. CARPENTERS built houses, farms, and stores that filled the Hoodland valley. As the town grew, the settlers filled the wetlands to provide more land on which to build. FARMERS cut down trees to clear their fields. Without trees and wetlands to hold the soil, rain carried soil into the lake.

Chorus: Would you want to swim in this lake?

Would you eat fish caught in this water?Would you like to go boating in this lake?

More and more HOUSES and shops were built, and the town of Hoodville grew into a city. Sewer pipes were constructed to remove the waste from houses and bathrooms. The sewage flowed through

the pipes into the bay. Since the wetlands had been filled in, RUNOFF water washed

pollution from the streets directly into the lake. FISHERMAN found that nets made of plastic were stronger than those made of rope. Sometimes these nets got lost in the water.

Fisherman and other BOATERS sometimes threw their rubbish overboard.

Chorus: Would you want to swim in this lake?

Would you eat fish caught in this water?Would you like to go boating in this lake?

The city built LAUNDROMATS where people could wash their clothes. The detergents went down the pipes with the sewage into the lake. People hired MERRY MAIDS to clean their houses. They used poisonous tile and drain cleaners, which flowed into the sewage system. Even swimmers and SUN BATHERS going to enjoy the lake sometimes left garbage on its beaches. As the city grew, SHIPS came to unload their supplies. Sometimes these ships spilled oil into the lake. FACTORIES built along the waterÍs edge often dumped their toxic wastes and chemicals into the water.

Chorus: Would you want to swim in his lake?

Would you eat fish caught in this water?Would you like to go boating in this lake?

Pollution/soot from street

Poisonous drain cleaner

Toxic waster/ sludge

Toxic chemicals

Pollutant Where it comes from? Sediment Land surface erosion

Pavement and vehicle wear (tyres, brakes etc...) Atmosphere Spillage/illegal discharge Organic matter (eg leaf litter, grass, droppings) runoff water from washing cars Weathering of buildings/structures

Nutrients Organic matter Fertilisers Sewer overflows/septic tanks leaks Animal/bird droppings Detergents (car washing) Atmosphere Spillage/illegal discharges

Oxygen demanding substances

Decaying organic matter Atmosphere Sewer overflows/septic tank leaks Animal/bird droppings Spillage/illegal discharges

pH (acidity) Atmosphere Spillage/illegal discharges Decaying organic matter Erosion of roofing material

Micro-organisms Animal/bird droppings Sewer overflows/septic tank levels Decaying organic matter

Toxic organics Pesticides Herbicides Spillage/illegal discharges Sewer overflows/septic tank leaks

Heavy metals Atmosphere Vehicle wear Sewer overflows/septic tank leaks Weathering of buildings/structures Spillage/ illegal discharges

Oils and surfactants Asphalt pavements Spillage/illegal discharges Leaks from vehicles Car washing Organic matter

Increased water temperature

Runoff from impervious surfaces Removal of riparian vegetation

Pollutant Where it comes from? Sediment Land surface erosion

Pavement and vehicle wear (tyres, brakes etc...) Atmosphere Spillage/illegal discharge Organic matter (eg leaf litter, grass, droppings) runoff water from washing cars Weathering of buildings/structures

Nutrients Organic matter Fertilisers Sewer overflows/septic tanks leaks Animal/bird droppings Detergents (car washing) Atmosphere Spillage/illegal discharges

Oxygen demanding substances

Decaying organic matter Atmosphere Sewer overflows/septic tank leaks Animal/bird droppings Spillage/illegal discharges

pH (acidity) Atmosphere Spillage/illegal discharges Decaying organic matter Erosion of roofing material

Micro-organisms Animal/bird droppings Sewer overflows/septic tank levels Decaying organic matter

Toxic organics Pesticides Herbicides Spillage/illegal discharges Sewer overflows/septic tank leaks

Heavy metals Atmosphere Vehicle wear Sewer overflows/septic tank leaks Weathering of buildings/structures Spillage/illegal discharges

Oils and surfactants Asphalt pavements Spillage/illegal discharges Leaks from vehicles Car washing Organic matter

Increased water temperature

Runoff from impervious surfaces Removal of riparian vegetation

Pollutant Where it comes from? Sediment Land surface erosion

Pavement and vehicle wear (tyres, brakes etc...) Atmosphere Spillage/illegal discharge Organic matter (eg leaf litter, grass, droppings) runoff water from washing cars Weathering of buildings/structures

Nutrients Organic matter Fertilisers Sewer overflows/septic tanks leaks Animal/bird droppings Detergents (car washing) Atmosphere Spillage/illegal discharges

Oxygen demanding substances

Decaying organic matter Atmosphere Sewer overflows/septic tank leaks Animal/bird droppings Spillage/illegal discharges

pH (acidity) Atmosphere Spillage/illegal discharges Decaying organic matter Erosion of roofing material

Micro-organisms Animal/bird droppings Sewer overflows/septic tank levels Decaying organic matter

Toxic organics Pesticides Herbicides Spillage/illegal discharges Sewer overflows/septic tank leaks

Heavy metals Atmosphere Vehicle wear Sewer overflows/septic tank leaks Weathering of buildings/structures Spillage/ illegal discharges

Oils and surfactants Asphalt pavements Spillage/illegal discharges Leaks from vehicles Car washing Organic matter

Increased water temperature

Runoff from impervious surfaces Removal of riparian vegetation

Reflection• How does “Who Dirtied the Water?” relate to

each law? Give specific examples– Law #1 states:____________. This game relates to law #1 because:_______

– Law #2 states:___________. An example of this law in the game is:______

– Law #3 is:_____________. The example is:___

– Law #4 is:_____________. The example is:___